Indian pediatrics
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Informed consent is a communication process of providing the patient/parents/guardians with relevant information regarding the treatment and the diagnosis, so that they can make informed decisions. The process of informed consent in pediatric patients is not well understood. ⋯ There are four basic elements to the content of informed consent form: nature of procedure, risks, benefits and alternatives. The article delineates the essential elements and legal implications of informed consent in pediatric practice.
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The present study was conducted to determine the fate of manuscripts rejected by Indian Pediatrics (IP), and to identify the factors facilitating publication of a rejected manuscript elsewhere. Database (PubMed, IndMed) and Google searches were performed to trace the manuscripts published elsewhere any time after rejection by Indian Pediatrics in the year 2002. Eighteen per cent of the rejected submissions (62 out of 347) were eventually (till July 2009) published elsewhere. ⋯ Seventy four per cent of the rejected papers were published in journals with a impact factor lesser than Indian Pediatrics. Rejection before initiating peer-review, and rejection on the grounds of over-interpretation of results or poor statistical analysis diminished the chances of subsequent publication, whereas manuscripts rejected on grounds of poor originality or poor language had greater chances of being published elsewhere. Rejection of a manuscript by IP does not preclude publication, but rejected manuscripts are published more often in non-pediatric journals or journals with a lower impact factor, although the occasional exception exists.
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Objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) was introduced in 1975 as a standardized tool for objectively assessing clinical competencies - including history-taking, physical examination, communication skills, data interpretation etc. It consists of a circuit of stations connected in series, with each station devoted to assessment of a particular competency using pre-determined guidelines or checklists. OSCE has been used as a tool for both formative and summative evaluation of medical graduate and postgraduate students across the globe. ⋯ This article focuses on the issues of validity, objectivity, reliability, and standard setting of OSCE. Presently, the Indian experiences with OSCE are limited and there is a need to sensitise the Indian faculty and students. A cautious approach is desired before it is considered as a supplementary tool to other methods of assessment for the summative examinations in Indian settings.
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to estimate the incidence of reactive thrombocytosis among febrile young infants and to asses the utility of platelet count as a potential predictor of serious bacterial infection (SBI). ⋯ reactive thrombocytosis was a frequent finding in young infants with SBI. Thrombocytosis >450,000 cells/mm3, in combination with leucocytosis, elevated CRP and pyuria, may help in early recognition of febrile young infants at risk for SBI.